Vibrating propeller



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

s. BARNES. Vibrating-Propeller.

Patented April 27, I880.

A TORNEYS.

NPEIERS, PHOTO-UTNOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. n C.

2Sheets Shee t 2. S. BARNES.

. Vibrating-Propeller.

No. 226,957. Patented April 27,1880.

WITNESSES: 4 INVBNTOR:

94 Mm 79m gz kmuv 1$ BY ATTORNEYS.

N.PETERS. PHOTO-UTNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

7 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN BARNES, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

VIBRATING PROPELLER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 226,957, dated April 27,1880.

Application filed August 29, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN BARNES, of NewHaven, in the county of New Haven and State of-Oonnecticut, haveinvented a new and Improved Vibrating Propeller, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates'to the construction and application to boats ofreciprocating propellers; and it has for its object to adapt propellersto small boats and vessels to be operated by either hand or steam power;also, to arrange the floats so that they will olfer no resistance on thereturn stroke.

It consists in the devices and arrangements hereinafter specificallydescribed for communicating motion to the propeller.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents my improved propelleradapted to be operated by a reciprocating motion and to propel from thestern. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section of one of the propellercases or frames and the float Within the same, taken on line 00 00,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line y yof Fig. 3, of a doubleractin g arrangement of thehorizontallyreciprocating propeller. Fig. 5 represents, in sectionalelevation, the improved propeller applied to the sides of a boat andarranged to propel by a vertical oscillating movement, and adapted to bereversed so as to propel the vessel backward or forward. Fig. 6 is asection, on line 2 z of Fig. 5, of one of the cases and the float. Fig.7 is a sectional side elevation of my improved propeller applied to thestern of the boat and adapted to oscillate vertically, and also adaptedto change the direction ofthe stroke and Fig. 8 is a top view of thesame. Fig. 9 is a sectional side elevation of my improved propellerarranged to be double-acting and to oscillate in a horizontal plane atthe stern of the vessel. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of thepropeller-ease on line m 00 of Fig. '9, and Fig. 11 is a plan of themechanism for operating this arrangement of the propeller.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A is the hull of a boat or small vessel,divided transversely by a bulk-head, B, a little aft of midships. The

compartment B, forward of the bulk-head, is

guide-rods a, and those adjacent to the side walls are continued throughthe bulk-head, forming extensions b.

E represents the cases or boxes containing the floats. They arerectangular, with open ends, and have on each side an upward extensionor hanger, I), the upper edge whereof is turned over into a cylindricalsleeve, 0, through which are passed the guide-rods, as shown, so thatthe cases are suspended and adapted to move or slide back and forth onthe guiderods. I

To the top of each of the cases is attached a rod or shaft, cl, whichextends through the bulk-head, and is connected, by a cylindricalsliding guide, 6, with the guide-rod b. To rod 61 is connected one endof a connecting-rod extending from a crank-shaft.

Inside, of the case is placed the float f, near the inner end. It ispivoted by its upper edge to the top of the case, while its lower orfree edge is limited in its backward movement by a cleat or stop, 9,fixed transversely to the bottom of the case. By this arrangement thefloat is permitted to move in an arc of ninety degrees from a verticalposition against 9 to a horizontal position in the direction of the outward end of the case, (designated by the letter g,) said movement beingindicated by the dotted segment.

One of the cases with its float, forming a propeller, is placed in eachof the compartments C C, Where they are, in practice, submerged, and areadapted to be reciprocated horizontally on the guide-rods a, alternatelyin opposite directions, a double-crank shaft being used to obtain thismotion, operated by either steam or hand power, so that when onepropeller. is giving the direct stroke the other is on the return, andvice versa. By the backward and forward movement in the water the floatsare alternately swung from a horizontal to a vertical position; in theformer,

'on the return stroke, feathering to the water and avoiding back action,and in the latter,

on the direct stroke, dropping to a vertical position and acting againstthe water at right angles to the direction of the stroke. By thisarrangement a continuous propelling force is exerted without backaction, thus enabling the boat to be propelled rapidly through the waterwith but little expenditure of power. This adapts the arrangementespecially to boats and small vessels, as the propeller thus constructedcan be operated by hand-power where steam is not available, or by steameither where it can be used to advantage.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is shown .the propeller arranged to be double acting.Here the case is provided with two floats, a a, pivoted and stopped thesame as the one first described, but adapted to swing open in oppositedirections. From the pivoted edges of the floats arms 1) project upthrough slots in the top of the case a short distance apart. Betweenthese arms is placed a slide, A, moving on rods b b, so that one of thearms is on one side of the slide and the other on the opposite side. Bymoving the slide to the left, float a is turned up horizontally againstthe top of the case, while float a is permitted to swing in the areindicated by the dotted lines 1; but when the slide is moved to theopposite end of the case it draws float a into a horizontal position,and a falls to a vertical and is permitted to swing in are 2.

When it is desired that the boat shall move in the direction of arrow 1,float a. is thrown up and a permitted to swing, so that the stroke inthe direction of the arrow 1 swings float a up, but the reverse strokethrows it to a vertical position and causes the boat to move in thedirection of the said arrow. To reverse the movement to the directionindicated ,by arrow 2, float a is held up and a permitted to swing,whereupon the motion of the float will be like that first described, andthe boat will move in the direction of arrow 2.

By this arrangement the boat can be moved backward or forward at will,and if one of the propellers be arranged to push forward and the otherto pull backward in the construction shown in. 1, the vessel can beturned and steered by the propellers.

In Fig. 5 is shown the arrangement for propelling the vessel from theside. I'Iere two propellers composed of cases and swinging floats areattached to the lower end of shafts h h, partly threaded and screwedthrough the projecting portions t' Z of pivots F F, held in suitablebearings G G in the sides of the vessel. The pivots turn freely in thebearings, and by making the screw-connection between the shafts andpivots the propellers can be the propellers, which, when submerged andjj, to which are fixed leversj.

oscillated in the segment of a circle, propel the boat. To reverse theposition of the propellers to move the boat backward or forward Iprovide the upper ends of the shafts with collars Over the ends of theshafts are placed plates is, with transverse recesses Z on theunderside, and above the plates are springs Z, which press the plates downagainst the collar, so that the levers are held in the recesses Z.Plates k are hinged to rods Z, which are connected together by ascrew-coupling, m. By means of the levers shafts h h and the propellerscan be given one half-revolution on their axes, thus reversing theposition of the ends of the propellers and enabling them to be adjustedto propel the boat forward or back, as may be desired. YVhen the leversare turned they lift plates 70,- but as soon as they get in line withthe recesses the plates drop and the levers are retained in the requiredposition.

In Figs. 7 and S is illustrated an arrangement of an oscillatingpropeller 7 adapted to propel from the stern. The propeller in this casehas two floats, m at, one placed above the other, and the upper onearranged so that its free edge when down will be stopped by the pivotededge of the lower float. The floats in this propeller operate the samein other respects as those first described; but the sides of the caseare prolonged beyond the top and bottom, forming side extensions, a n,which serve as rudders to steer the vessel. This propeller is fixed tothe lower end of a screwthreaded sh aft, H, which is screwed up througha plate, I, which is hinged to another plate, I, pivoted to a plate, I,on plate I, which is connected with the stern by a tongue or othersuitable device adapted to hold the propeller at a proper distance fromth stern to allowit to vibrate or oscillate freely. To plate I isattached a lever, O, which extends over plate I, and is provided with apawl, 0, which is adapted to engage the holes 0. By means of lever O theshaft can be turned so as to throw the propeller at any desired angle tothe stern of the vessel, and thus enable the propeller to be set topropel the vessel straight forward by direct strokes or to turn her byoblique strokes. On the upper part of the shaft is placed a sleeve, 1),with a set-screw to hold itin proper position, and to this sleeve ishinged a handle, 1), by which the shaft and propeller are oscillated. Onthe upper end is a lever, 12', for turning the shaft and screwing it upand down for the purpose of raising the propeller out of the water orsubmerging it in the same, as may be desired. By means of the handle 19the propeller can be oscillated in the segment indicated by the dottedline, and thus caused to propel the vessel.

In Figs 9, 10, and 11 is shown an arrangement for vibrating a propellerof a somewhat different construction in a horizontal plane and obtaininga double action. The case of the propeller in this construction iscomposed of two horizontal plates, q q, between which are held twopartitions, w, with spaced double walls, which are fixed in the shape ofa V, with the smaller end next to the outer side of the case, while thecorresponding ends of the double walls are open and the opposite orinner ends are closed, so that the water can flow freely between thewalls in the direction of the arrows and be ejected freely through holes8 in the outer walls.

The floats t are placed vertically between q q, with one edge pivotedclose to the outer walls of the partitions, while the other edges swingfreely in a horizontal plane from the outer walls in line with the holes8 to the stops t, as indicated by the dotted segments.

The propeller thus constructed is attached to the lower end of a shaft,t, which is passed up through a sleeve, K, attached to the under side ofthe plate L. The upper part of the shaft being screw-threaded, aset-nut, u, is screwed down over it to the plate L, while to the upperend of the shaft is fixed a pinion, M, meshing with a spur-wheel, N, ona shaft rising from plate L, which is connected in any suitable mannerto the vessel, so as to project horizontally from the stern.

A lever, O, is hinged to a plate, V, placed loosely over the shaft ofthe spur-wheel, and held there by a screw-cap, w.

The lever is used to vibrate the propeller, and for this purpose it ismade to engage one of the yokes '12 on the spur-wheel. Now, by giving ita slight movement first to the left and then to the right the propelleris moved alternately in the direction of the arrows 00 x in Fig. 10.

When moved in the direction of arrow 00 the floats are thrown out on theside next to this arrow and exert a propelling force against the water,and those on the other side are forced in against the wall; but when themotion is reversed these floats are thrown out by the combined action ofcentrifugal force and the pressure of the water passing between thewalls on that side and ejected through the holes 8 against the floats,while those On the opposite side are drawn in, and thus prevent any backaction. This is the arrangement when the vessel is propelled forward;but when she is to be backed the lever is changed to the next yoke o anddrawn around to a position parallel to the sides of the vessel. Thisreverses the position of the propeller, so that the floats, instead ofvibrating in the direction of the arrows a: a." in Fig. 10, vibrate inthe direction of arrows zz in the same figure, and thus operate to pullthe vessel back instead of pushing it forward.

This propeller is designed to be inclosed by a casing, 1?, open at thebottom and outer end, so as to give the water free entrance to thepropeller. The purpose of the casing is to check the sidewise throw ofthe water from the propeller, and thus save the banks from the washingthat would otherwise ensue.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination, withfloats a (0, adapted to swingopen in opposite directions, of the arms b, projecting up through slotsin the top of case a, and the slide A, arranged to operate as specified.

2. The combination, with the shafts h h, of the pivots F F, havingportions t' '5, through which the shafts are screwed, the sleeves h, therods 11 l, pivoted to them and connected by coupling j, the collars j,the levers j, made fast to said collars, and the recessed plates 70,having superposed springs l, as and for the purpose specified.

STEPHEN BARNES.

Witnesses:

ROBERT Frrz MoRRIs, A. D. GOODYEAR.

